Electric signal-lamp



(No Model.)

A. F. WARD. ELECTRIC SIGNAL LAMP.

No. 556,946. Patented Mar. 24, 1896.

Aiezmderf Ward,

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICEa ALEXANDER FIELD XVARD, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR OF TlVO- TIIIRDS TO THOMAS S. CHRISTIE AND JOI I1\ G. DIETZ, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL-LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,946, dated March 24, 1896.

Application filed June 21, 1895. Serial No. 558,506. (No model.)

To cull whom it may concern: I is a mast which is secured to the casing Be it known that I, ALEXANDER FIELD D, preferably fitting into a socket Qthereon.

WARD, a citizen of the United States, resid- To the upper end of this mast is secured the ing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and lantern R comprising the following parts:

5 State of Tennessee, have invented certain a is a cap secured to the top of the mast, 5 new and useful Improvements in Electric Sigforming the base of the lantern and provided nal-Lamps, of which the following is a speciwitha socket 5 adapted to receive the incanfication, reference being had therein to the descent lamp 0. accompanying drawings. v d is a glass cylinder or transparent casing to The invention relates to a'signal device inclosing thelamp,whichis clamped between 60 especially designed to be attached to small the flange e on the base and a cap f by the boats, such as the life-boat carried by larger guard-rods 9 arranged around the cylinder. craft, and adapted to be used as a signal of h are gaskets between the glass and the metal.

distress in case of accident or to communij are conductor-wires connecting with the I5 cate intelligence of any kind to a distant contacts on the lampsocket and passingdown 65 point. in a groove 7;. in the ,mast to the binding-posts The invention is embodied in the construcl on the casing D. tion and arrangement of parts hereinafter The field-magnets of the dynamo are enerdescribed, and definitely pointed out in the gized either by the use of a small battery kept claims. at any convenient place on the boator by a 70 In the drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal portion of the generated current which may section through a boat to which my signal is be straightened on a commutator attached. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional ele- T is another commutator or switch device, vation of the signal device, showing the mast to which a slow motion is imparted from the raised. Fig. 3 is a vertical central section crank-shaft through the worm-gear connec- 7 5 through the dynamo and its protective casing. tion U. This switch shunts the current al- Fig. at is a vertical central section through the ternately through two branch circuits m and signal-lantern. Fig. 5isadiagram of the elec- 'n, the former including the signal-lamp R tric connections. and the latter a concealed lamp of equal re- 0 A is a boat, and B are the seats, to one of sistance o, the object being to flash the light 80 which is preferably attached my signal device without interrupting the dynamo current. of the following construction. By a suitable arrangement of the contacts on O is a dynamo of any construction suitable this commutator a predetermined danger-sigfor the generation of'currents of comparanal composed of long and short flashes may tively low voltage. This dynamo is inclosed be made automatically whenever the crank is 8 5 within a casing I) and is provided with a turned. drive mechanism comprising the multiplying V is a switch by which the commutator T gears E, also inclosed within the casing D, may be cut out and the current sent continuthe crank-shaft F passing out from the casously through either one of the branch cir- 40 ing through the stuffing-box G, and the handcuits m and n. 0 crank II. The signal device thus constructed and se- I are supporting-standards for the casing cured to the boat as described is normally D, hinged at their lower ends near the edge in the position shown in Fig. 1, with the mast of one of the seats, preferably by means of turned down and resting on the top of the the ears J bolted to the seat and the pivotseats out of the way of the oars. \Vhenever 5 bolts K. it is necessary to use the signal, the mast may L is a third leg or standard secured to the be raised, turning the dynamo in its upright casing and adapted to be detachably secured position, which may then be firmly locked to to the ears M on the seat by means of the the seat by the pin N and the crank turned locking-pin N. by the operator.

It will be observed that all the generator.-

mechanism is inclosed in a waterproof casing, which prevents any danger of the device becoming wet and therefore inoperative in rough weather.

Then it is desired to use the signal for flashing intelligence of any kind other than the danger-signal, the switch V may be used as a telegraph-key, by means of which any message may be conveyed. If a constant light is Wanted the switch V may be set to send the current through the one branch only.

hat I claim as my invention is- 1. A signal device comprising a dynamo, a hand-driven mechanism therefor, and an inclosing protective casing. in combination with a folding mast carried by said dynamo-casing and a signal-lamp at the upper end of said mast.

2. A signal device for boats, comprising a dynamo, a hand-driven mechanism therefor, and ah inclosing supporting and protective casing for said dynamo and driving mechanism, hinged to the seat or other stationary support, and adapted to be turned on its side when not in use, a mast secured to said casing, a signal-lamp at the upper end of. said mast, and means for locking said mast and casing in an upright position.

3. In asignal device, the combination with the dynamo, of a signal-lamp and a balancing resistance included in separate branches of the main circuit, an automatic switching de' vice in mechanical connection with the dynamoadapted to send the current alternately through said branch circuits to produce a succession of flashes of varying length substantially as described.

4. In a signal device, the combination with the dynamo of a signal-lampand a balancing resistance included in separate branches of the main circuit, an automatic switching device in mechanical connection with the dynamo adapted to send the current alternately through said branches to produce a succession of flashes of varying length, and a handswitch adapted to out in or out the automatic switch and to send the current constantly through either of the branches substantially as described.

5. In a signal device for boats, the combination with the folding mast, of a signal-lantern secured at the upper end or said mast. comprising the cap a forming the base of the lantern and having the socket Z), the transparent casing d, the removable cap f and the guard-rods 9 serving to clamp the casing between the caps a and f, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER FIELD IVARD.

Vituesses:

J. W. DURHAM, OHUM J oNEs. 

